Safety device for linemen



March 28,1939. C. D. HEDRICK l2,152,049

I SAFETY DEVICE FOR LINEMEN Filed Dc. 15, 1937 NN MN.

Patented Mar. 28, 1939 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY DEVICE FORLINEMEN Carl D. Hedrick, Miami, Fla. Application December 15, l1937,Serial No. 180,022

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a safety device for linernen and hasparticular reference to an attachment for the belt customarily worn bylinemen while working on telephone and telegraph poles.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a device of thiskind which will definitely prevent linemen from falling from the poleupon which they may be working in case their leg hooks kick out or breakloose from the pole.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means in a deviceof this kind whereby in the event of the leg irons coming loose asaforesaid, the linemen will be held dei'lnitely to thepole and will fallbut a harmless short distance and will not slide down the pole in closeproximity therewith as is the case Where the linemans belt alone isutilized.

The belt itself as now used keeps the lineman in close contact with thepole in the event of his leg hooks coming loose from the pole and suchaction on the part of his life belt often. causes more actual danger tothe lineman than the fall itself, due to the fact that his skin isabraded and his body, face and head are caused to become embedded withsplinters from the pole. Further danger in such cases is caused by thelineman coming into violent contact with iron steps and the like whichare commonly used upon such poles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kindwhich will be simple in construction, of easy attachment to theregulation belt and of inexpensive manufacture.

A further object of the inventiony is the provision of a device of thiskind which will not bind upon the pole or interfere with the linemanswork in any way and one which will enable the lineman to move around thepole and for a short but practicable and ordinarily suilicient distancein either an upward or downward direction without disconnecting thedevice from the pole.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the following specification taken in conjunction with theappended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational View, partly broken away, of the inventionshown in operative position upon a pole,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3 3 of Figure 1,V

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device. and

Figure 5 is an edge view of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly tothe drawing, there is shown thereinattached to a life belt I of standard construction the invention of theapplicant generally designated at- II. It will be seen that the deviceconsists of a strap I2 and a square link I3 at one end through which thestandard belt I0 is adapted to pass. The link I3 is provided with aroller bearing I4 which in use bears against the standard belt III.

It will be seen that the strap I2 passes through the link I3 and isfolded back upon itself as indicated at I and is securely riveted asshown at I6 all along its length. The inner portion I'I of the strap isslightly narrower than the main or outer portion I2 and extends beyondthe other extremity of the main portion as indicated at I8, thencethrough a square link member I9 and back through a buckle 20 fastenedbetween the portions I1 and I2 of the device and thence through a guidelink 2l also mounted between the outer and inner portions of the device.

The outer end of the link I9 carries a. harness snap 22 which is adaptedto engage link members 23 which are mounted in spaced relation betweenthe outer and inner portions of the device and held in place by means ofrivets 24. The strap I 8 is adjustable with relation to the buckle bymeans of the holes 25.

In operation, the standard belt I0 is used in the ordinary manner, thatis by fastening it by means of harness buckles to the regulation belt(not shown) worn by linemen, after it is passed about a pole 21, the1ink`|3 having previously been passed over the standard belt I0. Thelineman thereupon takes the free end of the present device and places itaround the pole and connects the harness buckle 22 with one of the linkmembers 23 in as taut relation with the pole as possible. For minoradjustments the lineman may utilize the holes 25 with the buckle 20 inthe ordinary manner. It will be seen that the device as now mounted uponthe pole will aiord absolute assurance that the lineman, in the eventhis leg hooks become disengaged from the pole, may only fall a Veryshort and harmless distance due to the fact that this device provides asecure grip upon the pole and interconnects the regulation belt I 0 bymeans of the link I3.

The buckle 22 at the end of the safety device may be attached to theconventional ring (not shown) carried by the body belt and thus thesafety device will be carried by the lineman in the same manner as thestandard safety belt I0 when it is not in use. In practice, it will takeabout one-half of the time necessary to connect the standard belt toconnect the safety device to the pole and it will thus be seen thatlittle time will be lost in the use of this additional safetyprecaution.

While but one form of the invention is shown, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that various minor modifications may be madeWithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety attachment for a standard linemans belt comprising a straphaving adjustable means for frictionally engaging a pole, said meanscomprising spaced links carried by the strap and a harness bucklemounted at one end of the strap for selective engagement with the linksand means for loosely connecting the strap to the belt, said meanscomprising a link carried at the other end of the strap and adapted toallow free passage of the belt therethrough.

2. A safety attachment for a standard linemans belt comprising a straphaving broadly and minutely adjustable means for frictionally en gaginga pole, said broadly adjustable means comprising spaced links carried bythe strap and a harness snap mounted at one end of the strap forselective engagement with the links and said minutely adjustable meanscomprising a buckle carried by that portion of the strap carrying theharness strap and an extended portion of the strap having a series ofholes therein for selective engagement with the buckle and means forloosely connecting the strap to the belt, said means comprising a linkcarried at the other end of the strap and adapted to allow free passageof the belt therethrough.

CARL D. HEDRICK.

